Interview with reggae star lands film-maker in trouble with CIO

By Henry Makiwa
2 November 2007

State security agents on Thursday seized equipment belonging to a top filmmaker who had quizzed visiting Jamaican reggae star Luciano about his support for Robert Mugabe’s chaotic land reforms.
Award winning film-maker Tawanda Gunda Mupengo lost a tape containing recordings featuring Luciano to state agents, for allegedly asking the musician, the "wrong" questions. Mupengo is famed for winning numerous international awards for his works including 2006’s feature film Tanyaradzwa.

On Friday, Mupengo confirmed the confiscation of his property but would not be drawn into saying much, citing the delicate balance of the matter. The filmmaker was in the company of cameraman James Jemwa when the agents confronted him and said he was making “diplomatic” negotiations to regain his tape.
A close friend of Mupengo said the CIO agents had given the filmmaker a “rough time”.

“Mupengo provoked the ire of the state agents when he quizzed Luciano about his support of land reform and threats that had been made on the musician's life by people opposed to the land reforms,” said Mupengo’s friend who preferred to remain anonymous.

“The agents pounced on Mupengo and Jemwa forcibly grabbing their camera demanding the tape with the recording of the press conference. They said their questions were out of order and would harm the image of the country.”

Reggae artists Luciano, who is in Harare as part of an attempt by government to spruce up the image of the battered country and improve tourism arrivals, had openly endorsed Zimbabwe's land grab as “noble” during the press conference on Wednesday. The Zimbabwe tourism Authority also claims it is wrapping up a deal to bring R&B queen Beyonce to perform in Zimbabwe.

Critics have noted that once again government has no real idea how to solve the political and economic crisis it has created. Persuading musicians to visit the country will do nothing to improve tourism.